How BIG Pickering Solved Their Call Crisis and Achieved 600% ROI with AI

BIG Pickering Insurance, part of the 80-agency Billard Insurance Group in Ontario, was overwhelmed. The phone rang again. And again. By the fifth ring, it went to voicemail - just like the previous 800+ calls that month. For BIG Pickering, missing calls had become more than an operational problem; it was threatening their reputation and client relationships.

"The situation was honestly disgusting"

The Breaking Point

Ali Farouqi, Operations Manager at BIG Pickering, knew they had a crisis. The numbers were stark:

• Nearly 1,000 incoming calls per month
• Only 120 calls actually answered
• A devastating 12% answer rate
• Mounting client complaints about lack of responsiveness

The problem wasn't unique to BIG Pickering. Like many insurance brokerages, their staff was caught between competing priorities - handling existing client needs while trying to answer an endless stream of incoming calls. Every interruption broke their workflow, leading to frustration and, ultimately, ignored phones.

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Why Traditional Solutions Weren't Working

BIG Pickering explored the usual fixes: hiring more staff, improving phone procedures, or outsourcing calls. But each came with serious drawbacks:

• Hiring meant high costs and no performance guarantees
• Call centers lacked insurance expertise
• Internal fixes had already failed

They needed something better—purpose-built for insurance and seamless to implement.

"Clients were going to our head office or directly to insurance companies because they couldn't reach us. It was becoming a very big issue."

The AI Revolution Arrives

When Ali discovered Sonant's AI receptionist, the value proposition was immediately clear. Here was a system built specifically for insurance brokerages, capable of:

• Answering calls 24/7 without breaks, sick days, or training needs
• Understanding insurance terminology and compliance requirements
• Capturing detailed client information for proper follow-up
• Routing calls intelligently based on client needs
• Supporting multiple languages for their diverse client base

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Implementation and Results

The transformation was immediate. From the moment Sonant went live, BIG Pickering achieved:

Operational Excellence

• 100% call answer rate - Every call is now answered professionally
• Zero missed opportunities - No more clients going elsewhere due to poor service
• Improved workflow - Staff can focus on complex tasks without constant interruptions

Financial Impact

• 600% ROI within the first month
• 272 calls handled in just two weeks post-launch
• Significant time savings across the entire team

The Unexpected Benefits

Beyond solving the immediate call crisis, BIG Pickering discovered additional advantages:

• Professional image maintenance even during busy periods or staff absences
• Detailed call summaries that help staff prepare for follow-up conversations
• Compliance assurance with built-in guardrails for insurance-specific conversations
• Scalability without the typical growing pains of adding human staff

"I'm honestly very impressed (...) It handles these conversations exactly how it should. It doesn't answer questions it shouldn't, and it asks all the right questions."